Hat-crown press



- (No Model.)

W. J.- WALKER.

HAT CROWN PRESS. y No. 418,392, Patented'Deo. 3l, 1889..

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. A TTUHNEYS.

UNITED STATES EEICE..

PATENT HAT-CROWN PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 418,392, dated December 31, 1889.

Application led April 20, 1889. Serial No. 307,998. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. WALKER, of Fishkill-on-the-Hudson, in the county of Dutchess and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Hat-Crown Press, of which the following is a full, clear, and eX- act description.

' This invention relates to presses for molding the crowns of all kinds4 of hats, and has for its object to provide a press of this kind which will be inexpensive and effective in use.

The invention consists in a press for molding the crowns of hats, constructed and arranged as hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a partof this specification, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure lis a plan view of the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line .fr oc, Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is a view in vertical section of a modification of the plug.

In the construction of hat-crown presses for hats a hollow heavy metallic die internally shaped according to the form of the hat-crown to be molded has been employed. In connection with this die a plunger or plug is used, which consists of a solid piece of rubber shaped to correspond with the interior of the die and to lit snugly therein when pressed into the die against the material to be molded. There have been found to be two objections to this plunger, viz: First, owing to its being of solid rubber, the hat-crown is not accurately shaped, there being' little yield in the surface of the plunger as it is pressed into the die against the material to be molded, and, second, owing to the expense of the rubber plunger being solid. To obviate these objections I construct the plunger as follows:

l indicates a plug or plunger for hat-crown presses, which consist-s of a flexible rubber shell shaped to fit into the interior of the die 2, having the form of the hat crown to be molded. The die 2 consists of a heavy piece of metal with a level bottom 3 to adapt it to rest on a support. The upper edge 4 of the plunger l is formed with an internal iange 5, and the latter, with the edge 4, is of greater thickness than the shell of the plunger, so as to stand the pressure brought to bear at that point when wedged down against the edge G of the die 2.

7 represents a metallic plate forming the top of the plunger, and having the central elevated portion 8, provided with a lifting-handle 9, a perforation l0, for the admission of a fluid, and a screw 1l, or other suitable form of stopper, iitting therein. The plate 7 rests on the flange 5, and is secured thereto by screws l2, which pass through' the flange 5 and engage a metallic strip 13, located beneath the flange 5. In this way the flange 5 is clamped between the metallic strip 13 and the plate 7, and the shell is thereby :firmly held to its top. The metallic strip 13 avoids the danger of the flange 5 being cut or torn by the securing-screws- In using the foregoingdescribed press, water or other suitable fluid is preferably intro- 'duced into the shell through the perforation l0, and the stopper l1 then screwed up tight. The hat-crown to be molded is then placed in the die 2 and the plunger lis pressed into the die 2. It will be found that by means of the rubber shell containing a fluid the plunger will yield at all points of its surface and adapt itself to the shape of the die.

In Fig. 3 is shown a modified form 0f hatpress plug, in which, in addition to the metallic strip 13 beneath the flange 5, a second metallic strip la is employed,which is located above the flange 5. The flange 5 is secured to and clamped between the strips 13 and 14; by means of screws l5, and the plate 7, resting on the strip 14, is secured in place by means of screws 16,which project through the strip 14 and iiange 5 and engage the stripl. By this means the plate 7 may be removed and a semi-liquid paste be introduced into the shell instead of water. The semiliquid paste inclosed in the plunger will be also found to be effective in loading the plunger and in adapting it to yield and conform to the die in press- `ing the hat-crown.

IOO

in connection with a die or mold is old, and -to such apparatus I lay no claim.

I am aware that a hat-press in which there is a die in connection with a core consisting of a flexible diaph ragm and a piston and cylinder to which the flexible diaphragm is secured is old.

I am also aware that a hat-press in which there isa water-chamber, a flexible diaphragm secured thereto, and a `mold is old; and to none of these constructions do l lay any claim. Nor do I claim, broadly, in a hat-press, a flexible diaphragm or core.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A plug for pressing hat-crowns, consisting of' a flexible shell having the form of the crown to be molded, with an inturned flange at its top, the flange and the upper portion of the shell adjacent thereto being of greater thickness than the rest of the shell, a rigid strip secured to the flange, and a solid top of rigid material secured fo the flange and rigid strip and provided with an opening and stopper, substantially as shown and described.

3. A plug for pressing hat-crowns, consisty ing of the flexible rubber shell l, having the form of the crown to be molded, with an inturned flange 5, the flange 5 and the upper portion of the shell adjacent thereto being of greater thickness than the rest of the shell, the metallic strip 13, secured to the flange 5, and the solid metallic top 7, detachably secured to flange 5 and strip 13, with opening 10, and stopper ll, substantially as shown and described.

4L. A plug for pressing hat-crowns, consisting of a flexible shell having the form of the crown to be molded, with an inturned flange at its top integral therewith, the flange and the upper portion of the shell adjacent thereto being` of greater thickness than the rest of the shell, and a solid top of rigid material secured to the flange of the shell and having an opening and stopper, substantiall y as shown and described.

5. A plug for pressing hat-crowns, consisting of a flexible shell having the form of the crown to be molded, with an inturned flange at its top integral therewith, the flange and the upper portion of the shell adjacent thereto being of greater thickness than the rest of the shell, and a solid top of rigid material secured to the flange, substantiallyl as shown and described.

6. A hat-crown press consisting` of a hollow die, in combination with the flexible shell having the forni of the crownto be molded, with an inturned flange at its top integral therewith, the flange and the upper portion of the shell adjacent thereto being of greater thickness than the rest of the shell, and a solid top of rigid materialdetachably secured to the flange, substantially as shown and described.

WILLIAM J. WALKER. Vitnesses:

CHAs. E. WALKER, LEANDER D. POND. 

